The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement in motor vehicles with electrical adjusting members coordinated to equipment components, to which belongs individually a manually actuatable switch and a control unit which upon initiation causes the adjusting member to automatically displace the equipment component into its end position.
Such circuit arrangements are generally used in motor vehicles. Equipment components which involve, for example, electrically adjustable seats, window lifters or sliding/lifting roofs are displaced with the assistance of the control units into their use position preadjustable individually by the respective vehicle user or into their end positions independent of the user. Several adjusting members of an equipment component or similar types of equipment components are displaced simultaneously upon a command at will. For example, the adjustment of the driver seat as regards backrest inclination and seat height, of the interior and external rear view mirrors as well as of the headrests can be undertaken simultaneously by depressing a push button.
Problems may occur in particular when the movement of the equipment components leads to safety-critical situations. This is the case, for example, when the sliding roof and the windows are displaced simultaneously into their closing position and a jamming danger for a person in or at the motor vehicle exists. In this case, it is necessary with the prior art circuit arrangements to actuate the associated switch in the corresponding manner. However, frequently finding the correct switch already offers difficulties. Frequently switches for other adjusting members are actuated. This causes the creation of a panic with the vehicle user or increases the already existing panic.
The present invention is concerned with the task to provide a circuit arrangement of the aforementioned type which causes to stop the equipment components in case of need in a simple and reliable manner.
The underlying problems are solved according to the present invention in that during the time interval of energization of the adjusting members the control units de-energize their adjusting members upon actuation of any selected switch even prior to reaching the end position of the equipment component.
In contrast to the prior art circuit arrangement, it is now no longer necessary to find the correct switch and to actuate the same in the correct manner. Already the actuation of any of the switches de-energizes all of the control units belonging to the respective functioning group and thus causes the equipment components to stop. Not only a panic of the vehicle user is avoided thereby but the possibility is also created to initiate the automatic movement sequences without close inspection. By reason of the safety which is provided by the possible strongly simplified stoppage of the equipment components, a safety feel also results for the vehicle user as regards the initiation of the automatic movement sequences and operations.
An improvement of the present invention resides in instantaneously de-energizing the equipment components upon actuation of one of the switches. In contrast to the further movement of the equipment component up to a safe distance from the end position which is possible by the actuation of this switch, this opens up the possibility to control also deliberately the stoppage of the equipment components. Desired intermediate positions of the equipment components can thus be also attained without any problems.
A further feature of the present invention resides in leaving the de-energized adjusting member in this condition for a delay period. It becomes possible therewith to eliminate a possibly existing critical condition without the danger of an unintentional re-energization of the adjusting member.
The adjusting member, however, may also be re-engageable during the delay period by means of the associated switch. It becomes possible thereby to intentionally displace again the equipment component prior to the expiration of the delay period and to undertake, for example, a movement of the equipment component in the opposite direction.